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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU about neighbours dog?

172 replies

PollyPerky · 12/01/2016 20:31

A neighbour has a dog which he seems to let out early in the morning (poo time or whatever) in his garden near to us. Sometimes this is at 7am but sometimes it's before at 6.45am. The dog appears to be trained to bark to ask to be let in the house. We don't get up till 7.15 and sometimes are woken by the dog. We have asked him once nicely to stop and he made no comment - took no notice- anything we should do if it carries on?

OP posts:
BreconBeBuggered · 12/01/2016 23:47

A quick, familiar woof to be let back inside can't be that intrusive if you're fast asleep, surely? My neighbour's dog lives outside and I only notice any nocturnal barking if I'm awake. It's just background.

Hoplikeabunny · 12/01/2016 23:49

I have to put up with...

Church bell practice three nights a week that sometimes goes on until 11:30pm.

My next door neighbour leaving in a van at 4:45 every morning.

My neighbours cat coming into my garden all the time.

Screaming children from the village primary school every lunch time and break time.

Smells and noise from the various nearby farms.

All of these things are arguably avoidable, and yet none of them bother me, because I'm a reasonable human being who accepts that unless I want to live entirely by myself as a hermit, then sometimes other peoples decisions and daily lives might impact on mine in a slightly less than desirable way. As does my life on other people I'm sure!

It is such a non-issue, really it is!

SnuffleGruntSnorter · 12/01/2016 23:50

shakes bunny's hand

WhereTheFuckIsMyFuckingCoat · 12/01/2016 23:53

To be fair, I'm a very light sleeper, and I used to be wakened by my next door neighbour coughing as he left to walk to work at 06:00 every single day. It was annoying, yes, and I suppose I could have demanded that he stop smoking or hold his breath or something until he got further up the street, but I didn't cos I'm not a dick, I just tried really hard to go back to sleep, and remained as friendly as ever with him.

Sixweekstowait · 12/01/2016 23:53

Elderly - there are several dogs in the road, none barks at that time in the morning. I don't know why you are being so sarcastic - we are really all very thoughtful. There are no regular loud annoying noises made by any of us - why can't you believe that?

Hillfarmer · 12/01/2016 23:53

I don't see why OP is BU. It may be a small problem, but why should she be woken up by an unwanted noise early in the morning. You would think that if the neighbour knew his dog was disturbing people he might take steps to make sure they weren't bothering others. Surely that's what good neighbours do? If my neighbour spoke to me calmly or sent me a note about something that was bothering them that I could do something about - well, I would do it.

Why shouldn't OP's neighbour be considerate? Just normal good manners would sort this.

Hoplikeabunny · 12/01/2016 23:54

shakes snuffle's hand back

Sixweekstowait · 12/01/2016 23:59

Exactly Hill, it's about something that can be changed, easily. There's been some real 'reductio ad absurdum' arguments going on tonight

kawliga · 13/01/2016 05:02

Human beings are naturally wired to love dogs (man's best friend) but the more twattish dog-owners become, the more people start to hate dogs.

On all the dog threads on MN, there is never a problem with the actual fecking dog, but always with the twattish owner (of which there are many on this thread) saying so what, put in ear plugs or just wake up earlier, so what if the dog wakes you up every day, who cares, suck it up. Twattish dog-owners.

I bet if the dog-owner had been polite and acknowledged the OP and understood that other people like to choose their own waking-up time, the barking wouldn't seem so annoying. Like many nice dog-owners on this thread saying they'd be mortified if their dog woke the neighbours - you know what? You're a considerate neighbour and so nobody will be cross if your dog occasionally barks. Because you're considerate and you GET that it could be annoying. So we love your dog, it's ok if it barks, hey ho.

Funny how when a dog has nice owners, the dog seems so nice and loveable! I have great neighbours and I love their dog, even when he comes sniffing at me and tries to get into my car with me. When a dog has twattish owners, the dog seems like the most annoying filthy beast ever to deface the earth.

So, if you own a dog, try to be a considerate human being. Then people won't harbour violent thoughts about your innocent dog.

Salene · 13/01/2016 05:09

Just for the record my front and back door opens inwards Grin

YANU I'm a dog owner and I would not let my dogs bark early in the morning

I'm sorry it's your choice to own a dog so be responsible , the neighbour should wait at the door for his dog.

People can be very selfish , you want the dog find time to deal with the dog.

knobblyknee · 13/01/2016 05:14

YANBU. I'm a long term dog owner, and you are right, its too early for a dog to be barking.
My neighbour does the same with his hyperactive collie. Its inconsiderate and unnecessary.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan · 13/01/2016 05:43

Yanbu. I can't believe the number of people on here who think its ok to wake neighbours at 6.45am each day.

If someone posted "I let my toddler into the garden at 6.30am and they shout for me when they want to come back in. NDN has asked if we can let them outvslightky later as they ae waking NDN up. Ive refused as PFB has every right to make noise at 6.45am every morning. AIBU?" there would be plenty of peopld telling them they are being a twat.

But apparently dogs are different Confused

venividivicky · 13/01/2016 05:57

I haven't read the whole thread but my dog can hook his paw over the door handle and open it (proud emoticon).

PUGaLUGS · 13/01/2016 06:21

I have to put up with a cock crowing at 4am some mornings.

Next door pulling one of their bins up the side of the house before 7am quite often because they have forgotten to do it the night before like the rest of the street.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 13/01/2016 06:28

I've just done my normal routine of letting the dog out. Stayed downstairs making a coffee while she was out.

Opened the back door (outwards) before going upstairs Tom bring her in. Couldn't see her in our (field size) garden. Whistled, she didn't come. Yelled "biscuits" and she came like a rocket. Grin

SoupDragon · 13/01/2016 07:42

No sign of the Op saying how long the dog barks for...?

SoupDragon · 13/01/2016 07:44

But apparently dogs are different

Well, they are different to a toddler yes. A dog has to go in the garden to poo/wee in the morning and a toddler doesn't.

RoganJosh · 13/01/2016 07:51

The neighbour could go into the garden with the dog. The door could be left open, with the door to the room shut so it's not the whole house getting cold.

I'd be annoyed, it seems like a preventable noise. YANBU.

Original poster
PollyPerky · 13/01/2016 07:56

Goodness I didn't expect such a response- clearly this topic touches a nerve!

To come back on a few points:
if the dog was barking constantly day or night, the action needed is clear- dog warden, local council etc, as the dog would be unhappy and neglected. Dog welfare being the issue as well as noise.

We live in a village in a conservation area. Almost every other house has dogs or animals of some sort including the crowing cockerels! We accept that as part and parcel of village life. (having said that, a neighbour with hens refused to have a cockerel due to anti social 4am crowing.)

This is a newish neighbour. They have little regard for anything - have flouted planning regulations twice already (conservation area) and seem totally selfish. He is a manual worker, gets up early and finishes early. DH and I get up later and work till 7pm most days.

He's just being lazy. There is no reason why his dog needs to bark to come in. Back doors open inwards as do 99% of doors. In any case, I think his dog is being let out from the front door which has a porch. All beside the point.

6.45 am may not be that early but if we wanted to be woken then we'd set the alarm for then. We have no DCs at home now so we've been through the early morning starts, the school runs etc and just want a bit of consideration from a noisy neighbour!

OP posts:
Salene · 13/01/2016 08:00

OP i would complain to the dog warden. You gave him a chance and he was rude and ignored you. I know they will visit him and tell him it's not on. Maybe that will be enough to make him more considerate.

Original poster
PollyPerky · 13/01/2016 08:00

It doesn't matter how long it barks- totally irrelevant! It barks before 7am and the barking wakes neighbours up! Comparing it with other noises is neither here nor there- wheelie bins etc. That's once a week. This is daily. Not sure why some posters think that just because they have to put up with thoughtless behaviour from neighbours it somehow makes other similar behaviour acceptable. It's all low level anti social behaviour which shows people are being inconsiderate!

OP posts:
exLtEveDallas · 13/01/2016 08:01

I'm woken up every morning at 6am by the daft dog that thinks the stone dog in our front garden is real, and needs to bark at it Smile

I then (probably) wake up the neighbours when I let the mutt out for a wee at 6:15 and she barks at the cat that teases her from the end of her garden.

There is also a chance that the mutt disturbs the neighbours when she chases off the bastard fox that keeps trying to dig a den under our shed, or the fat pigeons that live in the fir tree at the bottom of the garden.

But there is nothing I can do about it, unless neighbours are willing to get rid of cats/foxes/pigeons as well.

Live and let live - if you don't want neighbour noise you need to get rid of the neighbours.

Crumbles12 · 13/01/2016 08:07

I think when you live in an area with neighbours this kind of thing does happen. If the dog is barking once to be let in then I wouldn't have a problem with it, once they need to go out you can't really 'wait until later' to let them out, and in this cold weather it wouldn't work leaving the door open as the house would be freezing.

Crumbles12 · 13/01/2016 08:09

I also highly doubt a dog warden or environmental health would take it any further as this is quite typical, all that would do would create a divide with your neighbours and cause tension

Salene · 13/01/2016 08:13

The dog wards has to chase up complaints, they would have a word with the owners and they wouldn't disclose who made the complaint so if there are numerous close by neighbours it could of been anyone.

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